Silent Mind, Empty Heart
by prouvaires
Summary: Eragon X-over. When Wirenth took Prideth between to be rid of her, she never expected to end up in a strange land on a different world, where she couldn't hear Brekke or Canth. And then she discovers how very different two worlds can be.
1. Chapter 1

I'm just spitballing this as a first chapter, but if I get enough nice comments I may continue it : )

**I'm just spitballing this as a first chapter, but if I get enough nice comments I may continue it : )**

Wirenth broke out of _between _screaming. She registered that Prideth was no longer clinging on to her, but hot rivulets of ichor were running unimpeded down her golden side. Wirenth screamed again, adding mental cries to her anguish sound.

_Brekke? Brekke, where are yo__u? And Canth! Canth, where are you? I need you! Both of you! Please?_

There was no reply. Wirenth kept screaming her sorrow and pain at the world. Suddenly, she stopped, hovering in the air, all senses tingling. In the far distance, she could just make out something moving. She adjusted her eyes to their furthest reaches and picked out a blue dragon. Realising that it would be suicide to go _between _with her injuries, she reached out with her mind.

_Who are you? What weyr do you belong to? _

The answer that same back was startling, but not nearly as strange as the voice itself. It was a _female _voice, coming from a blue! Wirenth bugled in distress as the dragon spoke.

_I am Saphira. I belong to no weyr. What is a weyr? Where is your rider?_

_My rider …… Brekke! _Wirenth called again, knowing that Brekke couldn't hear her. With a roar, Wirenth sank to the ground, exhausted from the mating flight which had been so tragically interrupted, and now the loss of blood.

_I need you to go to High Reaches and find Brekke for me. Oh, she will think I am dead! But she is not, or I would not have come out of _between_. If she is not responding, get Canth or F'nor. Go!_

_Who are you to treat me so? _The blue dragon asked, flying closer and closer.

_I am Wirenth, junior queen at High Reaches.__ Brekke is my rider._

_Eragon is mine._

_Eragon? _Wirenth gave a mental shrug. She was too tired and scared. The blue dragon, Saphira, circled and landed close by. Her rider leapt from her back and hurried over to Wirenth where she lay bleeding.

_Saphira said you are called Wirenth? _

Wirenth heard the voice and shut her eyes. He sounded like Canth to her, in her confused state.

_Yes._

_You are hurt. _It was not a question, but a statement, and the strange dragon landed next to Wirenth. The queen was shocked to see that the female was covered in what looked like scales, like on a snake. Wirenth finally came to the conclusion that this was some other species of dragon. With that realisation came the knowledge that she was too far from her home for Brekke or Canth to be able to hear her. She lay her head on the ground. She dwarfed the blue female by several metres in height, length and bulk.

_I am alone. _She whispered to herself, a great, aching hole growing in her torso.

_No, _came the joined voices of the strange dragon and rider, _we are here. You are with us. You are not alone. _

And then just the female's voice. _Come, Wirenth. Maybe the elves will be able to tell us what you are and how you came here._

Wirenth roared. _I am a queen dragon! I came here because Prideth stole my bronzes. I took her _between _when she attacked me. And now I am weak, and I do not know where I am. I am Wirenth, and Brekke is my rider. I am Wirenth! _

_Yes, you are Wirenth. _The man's voice filtered through her roiling thoughts, and she looked up, her eyes adjusting as she saw him give the female an admonishing look. With a sigh, Wirenth shut her eyes.

_I cannot fly. I am hurt. _She remarked, growling slightly as the man moved closer.

_I can change that, Wirenth. Please, let me heal you._

_You couldn't heal this! Where is your numbweed? Where are your bandages! _

_I have none._

_Then you would be useless in Threadfall. _

_Um … okay. But the fact remains that I _can _heal you. Will you please allow me to?_

Another, soft voice entered the conversation. _Yes, he can heal you. I am sorry for what I said, Wirenth. Will you forgive me? _She sounded contrite, and Wirenth nodded feebly, watching in horror as more of her life's blood ran out and splashed onto the muddy ground.

_Please, do what you can. I must find Brekke._

The man moved closer and placed his palm over the deep gouge in Wirenth's shoulder. "Waise Heill!" He said, and Wirenth gave him a puzzled look. But, suddenly, the aching stopped and Wirenth felt a slight tingling in her muscles. She whipped around, glaring at the place where the huge gash had been. She turned two full circles, still staring at it. Then she whirled and scowled at the two standing in front of her.

_What did you do to me? _She demanded fiercely.

_I healed you, _the man replied, as if it should be obvious.

_By what means? _The growls were building.

_With magic! Of course with magic, how else? Have you never seen it? Has your rider never used it?_

_There is no such thing as magic on Pern._

_Where is this Pern you speak of?_

_It orbits Rukbat. That is all I know. Pern is beautiful. It is green and the dragons are its protectors. We fly against Thread. We queens cannot flame, so our weyrwomen carry flamethrowers. The bronzes, browns, blues and greens chew firestone. If Thread burrows, it destroys Pern. _

_O …… kay?_

_I am extremely serious, rider. Do not presume to mock me. You are a bluerider, I am a queen. I rank you hugely._

The man shook his head in despair, then sprung up onto his dragon's shoulder.

"Come," he called to Wirenth, "we will take you to Ellesméra."

_Give me the pictures and we can both go _between _to this strange Hold. _

_We do not know _between, _Wirenth. _Saphira said, grimacing a little.

_Fools, _Wirenth replied. _Give me the pictures, I will take you there._

Saphira dutifully relayed the pictures of Ellesméra from above, and Wirenth jumped into the air, beating down hard. Then, she flew above the blue and latched her forearms onto her body.

_Whatever happens, do not panic. Oh, and take a deep breath!_

Then Wirenth transferred _between._


	2. Chapter 2

The people gathered around Eragon, completely blocking his view. Wirenth, hovering in the air, was feeling a little guilty for springing _between _on him so suddenly.

He was white and shaking, and – although no-one told him – he really needed some new pants. Wirenth couldn't help but smother a small giggle. Saphira had taken _between_ in her stride, and had arrowed off to find something called a "Glader," or at least that was how it sounded to Wirenth.

She was also feeling guilty for how she had acted, because she knew that she was not normally so short and snobbish. She sank slowly to the ground, accidentally knocking over a few of the strange men and women nearby. They sprung agilely back to their feet, bowing strangely in her direction. She dipped her head at them, acknowledging their greeting.

_By what means are you come here, mighty dragon?_

A voice resounded in Wirenth's head, and she whipped around to search for the speaker. She was unable to indentify him or her, however, because almost all of the people in her vicinity were staring at her with avid interest. With a mental shrug, she settled down into a crouch, watching the proceedings with interested eyes.

Eragon rose to his feet shakily, and disappeared off among the trees. Wirenth searched for his mind among the multitude and had just managed to find it when she was completely distracted by another mind.

_What in Faranth's name … ?_

Wirenth turned in the direction of the mind and started walking towards it. Several elves were dragged along by her unintentionally, but she didn't notice and kept walking blithely on. They eventually managed to get a foothold and bounce off. Wirenth shook herself when one landed on her tail, and her tail flicked in reflex so the elf ended up in a tree. Still Wirenth kept walking.

She eventually arrived in another clearing, which was overshadowed by quite possibly the biggest tree Wirenth had ever seen.

_Wo-o-ow! _She thought, seriously impressed. Even the ones at Southern Weyr had never grown that big.

"Would you like to hear the story of the Menoa Tree, Wirenth?" a female voice asked, and Wirenth turned to see a raven-haired lady gazing up at her. The lady was beautiful beyond belief. Wirenth looked at her for a minute, decided she disliked her, and then nodded.

_I would._

"The Menoa Tree was once a beautiful woman who fell in love with a young man…"

Wirenth listened carefully to the story, understanding that this was an important part of the elvish culture. When the lady was done, Wirenth blinked happily.

_Thank you. It was lovely, _she said, her eyes whirling a gentle blue-green. The lady nodded and disappeared off into the trees. Wirenth shook herself and then sprung into the air, sweeping down hard with her wings and attaining a good altitude. She could see nothing but trees in all directions. That could have been what was unsettling her, but she wasn't sure.

Far below her, Eragon watched as she hovered idly in the air, unable to believe his and Saphira's luck at having found another dragon, and a female at that. He sensed Saphira getting closer, and reached out with his mind.

_Are you there?_

_I am, little one. Glaedr flies with me._

_Good. Try not to startle her, she may not react well._

_I understand, _Saphira said, and Eragon glanced over automatically in the direction from which she would be arriving.

Wirenth caught the glint of gold and banked sharply east, so she was facing it. She adjusted her eyes to their furthest reaches and picked another gold dragon. Relief in its purest form coursed through her, although she had not realised how worried she had been.

_Greetings, young one, _a deep, male voice sounded in her head, and Wirenth swung her head down, trying to work out which of the people below had spoken.

_It was not one of them, but me, Wirenth, _the voice spoke again, and Wirenth glanced up at the other queen, doubt nagging at her.

_No,_ she thought to herself.

_Yes,_ the male queen replied. _I am Glaedr._ Wirenth screamed her distress long and loud and then transferred _between_.

-o-x-o-x-o-x-o-

Eragon could only watch in horror and dismay as Wirenth became aware of Glaedr and then, after a cry that grated on the nerves of all who heard it, disappeared as abruptly as if she'd been shot from the sky. No, faster than that. Saphira's soft, apologetic tone reached him a minute later.

_I'm sorry, little one. _She landed next to him and bent her head down so she could look him deep in the eye. He rested a hand on her muzzle and caressed it gently.

_It's not your fault, Saphira. Don't worry. We were lucky she stayed that long. I wonder where she's gone?_

Saphira blinked and considered for a second. _Maybe she went home._

_Maybe she did. I hope, for her sake, that she did._

-o-x-o-x-o-x-o-

Wirenth did not go home. She hung in the blackness for so long she began to lose herself. It seemed hours, days, weeks, months that she hovered; uncaring, unfeeling. Then, after eons, five pictures pushed themselves forwards, right into the front of her head. Canth, her Canth, gazing at her, his queen, his love and devotion to her taking over his whole expression. Brekke, her mouth wide open in a smile, staring at Wirenth, with an emotion so much deeper than love consuming her whole body. Then Canth again, but this time with his head hanging low, despair scrawled over every line and bend of his body. Wirenth's heart began to ache. Then Brekke, her mouth open in a soundless scream of agony as she felt Wirenth disappear, and not come back. And, the final picture. F'nor, who had not figured so prominently in Wirenth's life before. F'nor: bewilderment, fatigue and hurt hunching him over, knocking him down, as he tried so desperately to assuage the terrible, terrible agony of his two beloveds.

It was that final picture, of F'nor, come from who knew where, that dragged Wirenth out of her stupor. She could feel other dragons around her in the blackness, hear their minds, and she knew that she was almost lost forever.

_You can go back. Go back now, while you still can!_The voice that sounded in her head was faint, but overlayed with strength and authority.

_Who are you?_ Wirenth dared ask, not knowing if she _could _go back.

_I am the sentinel__. I guide the other dragons to their 'beyond.' Not forever, but for long enough. But you may not pass me. Your tasks are not yet finished, queen dragon! Return to your rider! _The sentinel's tone took on the heaviest authority that Wirenth had ever heard, heavier than even Ramoth's. The sentinel reinforced the command with the picture of F'nor again. Wirenth was too confused. With an almighty wrench, she tore herself from the blackness of _between_ and reappeared over a black castle.

The sunlight blinded her, stunning her multi-faceted eyes. She lashed her tail. She was not yet home on Pern. She looked down. The castle seemed devoid of life. She reached out carefully, and detected another draconic mind. Warily, she spoke to it, unknowingly rumbling deep in her belly as she did so.

_Who are you? Which weyr is yours? Who is your rider?_

A roar sounded in her ears, rattling her very bones. A lesser dragon would have turned and fled. But Wirenth was not a queen for nothing. She opened her mouth and roared right back.

_I am Wirenth! Who are you?_ She asked again, trying to layer her voice with the command that the sentinel had used.

_I am Thorn! Look upon me and tremble!_

As Wirenth watched, a red dragon barrelled out of a window and twisted agiley up to meet her in mid air. Wirenth watched him, distinctly unimpressed. Thorn opened his mouth to release a torrent of flame, and then seemed to notice the size of the dragon facing him. It was like comparing a house cat to a tiger. Thorn snapped his jaw shut. Wirenth thought it a rather wise move.

_Um … sorry about that. I have to be prepared for attack. Murtagh and I were left in charge by the king__, to divert the elven attack._

Wirenth frowned. _I do not understand this word 'king.' What does it mean?_

_He is the supreme ruler of all Alagaesia, _Thorn told her, flaring idly as they hovered opposite one another. _But he's gone to confront Eragon and Saphira, and Nerea and Cha'risa now. We heard rumour of a mighty golden dragon that appeared years ago over the forest of the elves. Is that you?_

Wirenth thought for a moment. _ I assume so. I was _between _for longer than I thought._

_My rider, Murtagh, wants to know what I am doing. No I didn't ask her yet, fool! _This last was evidently directed at the dragon's rider. Wirenth heard shouting and glanced down. A man was standing on the ground, gesticulating in what was evidently fury.

_Greetings, __Murtagh. I am Wirenth, junior queen at High Reaches, and Brekke is my rider. _

_I greet you, Wirenth. Now tell my dragon to get his scaly butt down here! He won't listen to me. _The man sounded so plaintiff that Wirenth couldn't refuse. She dove for the ground. The red dragon followed, flaring just as he reached the floor and landing softly. Wirenth backwinged to settle her larger mass down. She watched as the dragon greeted his rider, pushing his nose into Murtagh's hand and rumbling lightly. Wirenth's heart spasmed in pain for Brekke. She let her neck bend and her head face the ground. She was aware that she just needed to go _between_, but with the length of time she had been trapped last time she was wary of a repeat performance. Eventually the man turned towards her again.

"Uh … Wirenth, could you possibly tell us how you came here?"

_I'm not sure myself. One moment I was _between _and the next I was above your dark castle. _

"Hmm. Odd. Well, you came from Ellesmera, right?"

Wirenth gave the draconic equivalent of a shrug, and Murtagh ground his teeth together, turning back to Thorn. Wirenth grew bored as they conversed, and settled down for a nap in the sunshine. She was awakened by a tap on the spine. Thorn was standing leaning over her. She rose to her feet and stretched, and then waited expectantly.

"Wirenth, you are a female, right?"

Wirenth rolled her eyes. _Yes, I think so._

"When will you next rise to mate?"

Wirenth was surprised at his directness, but then memories came boiling over. She growled furiously and struck a blow at the earth, raking long gouges in it.

_My last mating flight is the reason for my very presence here! _

"How so?" Murtagh seemed remarkably unfazed by her ire, leaning against Thorn's leg and shielding his eyes from the setting sun to gaze at her. She crouched, kneading the ground with her claws.

_Prideth tried to steal my bronzes so I fought her. We both went _between_, but only I came out here. Maybe she returned to Kylara. I do not know._

Murtagh looked completely confused, but wisely decided not to press the point. "Will you return to your home? If you want to you had better do so soon, for the king returns. He was defeated but escaped, Shruikan tells Thorn, so he will be explosively hacked-off."

Wirenth formed an expression of puzzlement that mirrored Murtagh's shortly before, but then her ears picked up a loud roar from a north-westerly direction. Upon seeing Murtagh and Thorn's terrified countenances, Wirenth sensibly chose to take their advice.

_Goodbye, M'tagh, Thorn. It was nice to meet you. Good luck with your … war. _

War was a word Brekke had defined to her once, but she still didn't truly understand the concept of humans killing each other in huge numbers just for some land.

"Thank you, Wirenth."

_Yes, thank you for making our lives a little more interesting._ Thorn echoed his rider's sentiments, and then Wirenth sprung into the air, beating down hard to gain sufficient altitude. Then, trying to firmly fix on an image of High Reaches Weyr, Wirenth transferred _between_.


End file.
